Sport

Hants continue unbeaten start to season

Hampshire are enjoying their best start to a season since the Shane Warne era after extending their unbeaten run to seven LV County Championship matches.

Captain Jimmy Adams passed the career landmark of 10,000 first-class runs while making 84, his highest score of the season, as Hampshire reached 236-3 to secure a draw against Derbyshire at Derby.

Hampshire are 12 points clear at the top of division two after three games, albeit having played at least a game more than the rest.

They have not lost a four-day game since last August and, while the points system has changed slightly since 2005, the 44 they have taken from a win and two draws represents their best start to a Championship season for nine years.

James Vince continued his prolific start to the season with an unbeaten 50 from only 69 balls to extend Hampshire’s lead to 165, before hands were shaken.

“If we bowled better at the end of day two and not lost time (half a day) to the weather it could have made for a really interesting final day,” said Adams. “There was always something in the wicket and it was starting to take turn.

“We needed to get in among their middle order a bit earlier, but their guys batted really well and we’re happy with how we came out of it.

“I’m sure they’re thinking the same. But most of us have had time in the middle and we’ve shown that when we get things right with the ball we will bowl teams out.”

Adams, who struck ten fours during his 196-ball innings, went past a milestone that he admits seemed a distant dream when he was making his first-class debut alongside James Tomlinson for British Universities against Sri Lanka 12 years ago.

He said: “There was a time when I didn’t think I would get to 1,000 runs so I’m really happy with that, but also just to have found some batting rhythm.”

Opening bowler Mark Footit (2-27) was the pick of the Derbyshire attack against a Hampshire side that will have played a quarter of its Championship matches before the end of April following the big game against pre-season favourites Surrey, which begins at The Ageas Bowl on Sunday.